Media Contact: Ana Maria Rosato [email protected]
WHO
ACLU of Georgia
Cobb County Branch NAACP
Cobb County Chapter SCLC
Cobb Smart Justice Coalition,
Cobb Ministerial Alliance, Inc.
KSUnited
La Gente de Cobb
New Order
Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. Chi Gamma Gamma Chapter
Street Groomers
WHAT
A town hall meeting to listen to the concerns from the families, friends, and community members regarding individuals who have been or continue to be subjected to the lockdown in the Detention Center run by the Cobb County Sheriff’s Office.
The Detention Center has been on lockdown since September. Over the last year, seven people have died while in custody of the Sheriff’s Office.
Allegations include that individuals in the Sheriff’s custody are confined to their cells for almost 24 hours a day. The only break from this 24-hour confinement appears to be for 15-minute showers on some days.
Additional allegations include the jail failing to permit visitation with family, delaying access to all mail, and preventing personal phone calls with loved ones. These solitary confinement-like conditions, if true, potentially violate the U.S. Constitution and federal law. Mail and visitation are also constitutionally protected rights for people who are incarcerated.
WHERE
Life Church
1839 Powder Springs Road
Marietta, GA
WHEN
Monday, December 9, 2019
Doors open at 6:30 pm
Program begins at 7:00 pm
WHY
The ACLU of Georgia and community partners are calling on Cobb County Sheriff Neil Warren to
• end lockdown conditions at the jail immediately so individuals located in the jail can have visits from their family and loved ones during the holidays,
• answer all open records requests and produce procedures regarding mental health and medical care, and
• explain the seven deaths that have occurred at the facility and implement a plan to ensure that no one else dies at the detention center.
An email invitation to attend the event was sent to all Cobb County state representatives, state senators, district attorney, solicitor general, and Cobb County commissioners.
QUOTE
“Everyone in this community should be alarmed over the deaths of Georgians while in custody in the Cobb County jail. The County’s current response is inhumane and unacceptable,” said Andrea Young, executive director of the ACLU of Georgia.